Never ignore abdominal pain after a traffic accident

Any traffic accident can cause serious, potentially deadly injuries, even those that seem relatively minor at the time. Among other things, this is because victims of traffic accidents often suffer injuries that they cannot feel at first, giving them a false sense of security that often causes larger complications later.

Delayed-onset injuries come in many forms and varying degrees of severity, but few are more serious than delayed-onset injuries to the abdomen. If you recently experienced a traffic accident and begin feeling pain in your abdomen, you should rush to an emergency care provider immediately. Otherwise, you risk putting your life in danger.

After any kind of traffic accident, it is wise to get a thorough medical examination immediately, even if you believe that you did not suffer any injuries. A doctor can help you identify injuries before they cause pain, which can shorten your recovery time if the injury is minor and potentially save your life if the injury is very serious. The thorough documentation that a medical examination provides can also serve a strong basis for a future personal injury claim if that becomes necessary.

Internal bleeding

Typically, the most concerning injuries that cause delayed pain after car accidents are internal bleeding in the abdomen and organ damage. Whether internal or external, if you lose too much blood too quickly (exsanguination), your body simply cannot function and you will die very quickly. In very serious cases, blood loss can cause death in a matter of seconds.

For most car accident victims who walk away thinking they did not suffer any serious harm, severe internal bleeding is not common, but minor internal bleeding can also cause significant complications.

A minor injury to the circulatory system leaves the entire body susceptible to infection that may begin at the site of the injury and quickly spread throughout the body in the bloodstream. Very quickly, an infection can become septic and poison a victim’s entire body, which is often fatal.

Organ damage

If you suffer damage to an organ in a traffic accident, your body will probably continue function normally and attempt to repair the damage itself. However, if your body cannot repair the organ, it will fail, which in turn causes other organs to fail. This is both deadly and very, very painful.

Protect yourself and those you love by seeking medical care from a licensed physician as soon as you can. If you put it off, it may be too late.